Induction relay



July 29 1924. 1,503,255

- E. R. STOEKLE INDUCTION RELAY Filed May 17. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 [F067 Em in RSZbZa/fik July 29 1924.

E. R. STOEKLE- INDUCTION RELAY Filed May 17. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 [506/ (T Elwin E S foe/ Li July 29 1924. 1,503,255 I I. E. R. STOEKLE INDUCTION RELAY Filed May 17. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 29 1924.

E. R. STOEKLE INDUCTION RELAY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 17. 1920 Patented July 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERWIN R. STOEKLE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER- HAM- MER MFG. 00., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

INDUCTION RELAY.

Application filed Kay 17, 1920. Serial No. 381,798.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERWIN R. STOEKLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Induction Relays, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to induction relays responsive to changes in voltage and phase relation of a polyphase circuit.

One object of the invention is that of providing a simple, sensitive and compact relay of the character stated.

Another object is that of providing such a relay which may be advantageously employed as a circuit controller.

Another object is that of providing a device of the character aforestated wherein the various parts are adapted to ready and rapid assembly and dis-assembly.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing illustrates certain of the embodiments which the invention may assume in practice and the same will now be described, it being understood that the constructions illustrated are capable of further modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view illustrating a preferred construction;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional illustration of the same construction as viewed from beneath;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of said construction; while,

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view illustrating more fully certain details of the construction of Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views illustrating certain proposed modifications of the structure illustrated in Fig. 4; while,

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a further detail of construction of Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the same illustrate an induction relay comprising in general an elongated arma-.

ture member 9, having spaced terminal porstions connected'in a definite and continuous conductive loop and adapted to be subjected to direct influence of a pair of spaced electro-magnets 10 and 11 having their energizing windings connected across unlike phases of a polyphase circuit for effecting oscillation of said armature under given electrical conditions. The foregoing elements are carried in suitable co-operative relation upon a support 12.

Said support, which in practice may be composed of metallic material, comprifis a circular base portion 13 arranged in a vertical plane and centrally provided with a forwardly projecting boss or inset portion 14 providing a correspondin recess at the back of said base portion. aid boss 14 is itself provided with forwardly extending projections for direct support of the several elements aforementioned, said projections including a pair of similar horizontally spaced flanges 15 and 16 for support of the respective electro-magnets and a centrally located and prolonged portion 17 having a downward projecting portion 18 spaced a material distance forwardly from the adj acent portion of the boss 14 and co-operating therewith to provide for direct pivotal support of the armature member 9.

The electro-magnets which are of similar construction and similarly arranged, eachcomprise a rectangular oblong magnetic frame having an energizing coil surrounding one of the longer legs thereof. Said frames are arranged to lie in vertical planes with their corresponding parts at similar elevations and their longer legs extending horizontally forward from the support 12, being in such relation rigidly secured upon the respective flanges 15 and 16 by means of suitable bolts 19 or otherwise. In practice the energizing coils referably surround the upper longer legs of the respective frames. Each of said frames moreover is intersected at the junction of its lower long leg with its forwardly located short leg, thus providing a pair of aligned similarly located and horizontally spaced air gaps 20 and 21.

The armature member 9 is pivotally supported between and in a symmetrical relation to said air gaps for oscillation relative to the aforementioned fixed parts under the influence exerted by said electro-magnets upon said armature member. I

Said armature member as illustrated particularly in Fig. 4 preferably comprises a' horizontally elongated continuous band of copper or other conductive material having aligned and terminally located flat portions 22 and 23 arranged within the respective air gaps 20 and 21 and is further provided with continuous portions 24 and 25 arranged to connect respectively the adjacent and the remote ends of said fiat portions 22 and 23. In practice said armature member may conveniently be constructed substantially rectangular in cross section whereby its terminal port-ions areadapted to conform approximately to the shape of the respective pole pieces surrounded thereby.

Said portions 22 and 23 of the armature member are preferably broadened or extended vertically in the plane of the respective air gaps, thus insuring that each of said air.

gaps shall at all times contain its maximum area of conductive material irrespective of oscillation of said armature member. Also said portions of the armature are provided with a plurality of horizontally extending slots 26 for a purpose to be hereinafer explained. v

Assuming the electro-magnet coils to be connected in open delta across a 3 phase supply line, it is obvious that alternating fluxes will be developed in the magnetic frames and that such fluxes will be continuously displaced approximately 120 degrees in phase, whereby at any instant when the flux of one frame is at its minimum value the flux of the other frame is approximately 30 degrees displaced from its maximum value. Moreover, at such instant the rate of change of the flux in the former frame is a maximum and hence the electromotive force in duced thereby in the portion of the armature member located within the air gap of'such frame will also be a maximum, whereas the current due to such electromotive force will traverse the closed conductive loop of the armature member and will react with the flux across the air gap of the opposite frame,

which flux, as aforestated, is at this instant within 30 degrees of its maximum value. Such provision of a definite path for the induced current provides for concentrationof a maximum value thereof in a relation to react with the opposing ,flux whereby a relatively strong torque is produced for rotatserves substantially to eliminate eddy currents and to provide for concentration of the developed forces in such directions as to promote the desired torque.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate certain proposed or possible structural modifications of the armature member which in no wise effect the aforedescribed functional advantages thereof. Thus, the construction illustrated in Fig. 5 isin size and contour a practical equivalent of that described, but comprises a continuous coil of conductive wire 27 or the like, such wire being covered throughout its length with non-conductive varnish larly comprises a continuous insulated conductor which is in this instance shaped to provide two distinct coils 30 and 31 adaptedto surround the respective pole pieces of the electro-magnets, said coils being terminally connected by continuous portions 32 and 33 of the conductor, while a single clip 34 serves for support and securement of the element.

In each of the aforedescribed constructions definite. continuously looped paths are provided for the induced currents.

While the aforedescribed relay is applicable in various relations, the same is particularly adapted to actuation ofa contacting device for providing an improved circuit controller.

To such end, a contacting element may be advantageously incorporated in the foregoing structure, said element being in practice directly connected to the armature member moreover to, make and break circuit respectively upon reverse movements of said ar- 7 A mature member between its extreme positions.

The contacting element, as ticularly in Figs. 2,3 and 7, is preferably of the type disclosed and claimed in my copending application filed May 17, 1920, Serial Number 381,792 and comprises a substantially cylindrical sealed tube 35 of glass or other suitable insulating material medially provided with a pair of hollow radial projections 36 and 37 providing internal wells spaced circuinferentially of the'tube to subtend a radial angle preferably less than 90 degrees. Conductors 38 and 39 are arranged to penetrate the tube 35 being sealed therein and provided with terminal illustrated parportions constituting electrodes located within the respective wells. A body of mercury or other dense fluid conductor is contained within the tube 35 and adapted to surround and electrically connect the portions of the conductors 38 and 39 located within the respective wells so long as the tube occupies an angular position such that said wells are substantially symmetrically arranged with reference to the vertical. Upon rotation of the tube through a given angle, the mercury contained within one ofsaid wells is moved upward and away from the main'body of the mercury thus interrupting the continuity of the body of mercury for interruption of the electrical connection between said conductors.

Said tube is provided with end caps or thimbles 40 and 41 preferably cemented thereto and to which the respective conductors 38 and 39 are permanently and electrically connected. The outer ends of said caps are preferably reduced and are terminally provided with studs or projections 42 and 43 located axially of the tube. Said caps may be furthermore provided with annular grooves as illustrated.

The aforedescribed contacting element is preferably mounted within a suitable frame comprising similar' end members to be clamped about said element by means of elongated screw bolts 44. Each of said end elements comprise a pair of sections and 46 of similar contour. The sections 46 are composed of insulating material and adapted to directly engage and support the contacting element, the adjacent faces of said sections being provided with centrally located depressions to receive the corresponding studs 42 and 43 of the respective end caps of said element. The sections 45 are preferably of metallic and wear resistive material. Said sections are provided with aligned openings to receive the bolts 44 whereby the latter serve both to clamp the respective sections 45 and 46 together and also to secure the contacting element between the respectiveassembled end members. Furthermore, the armature member 9 is provided with suitably located openings for direct securement thereof to the aforedescribed frame in suitable operative relation by means of said bolts. In practice the bolts 44 are preferably surrgunded respectively with insulating sleeves 4 Each of the outer end sections of the frame is provided with a pivot bearing 48 located substantially co-axially with respect to the tube 35, said bearings being adapted to receive respectively a pair of pivot supp arts 49 and 50 to be screwed inward through the boss 14 and the vertical projection 18 of the support 17 for mounting of the oscillable unit comprising the contacting element and the armature member in suitable co-operative relation. Said armature member is moreover provided with suitable openings 51 and 52 to permit assembly of the pivot support 50 therewithin, while a readily adjustable weight 52 secured to the end of said armature member serves to bias the oscillable unit to move in one direction.

A horizontally arranged insulating terminal board 53 is secured to the lowermost portions respectively of the boss 14 and the vertical projection 18 of the support, said terminal board being rovided with terminal bolts 54 and 55 while in practice a pair of flexible leads 56 and 57 are secured to the upper ends of the respective terminal bolts, the upper ends of said leads being coiled about the respective reduced portions of the end caps 40 and 41 of the contacting element, the free ends of said leads being preferably bent within the annular grooves of the respective end caps and permanently secured thereto by soldering or otherwise. In practice the necessary line connections for the contacting element and for the electromagnetic coils may be effected by means of suitable conductors to be introduced through one or more outlet openings 58 in the support 12, said conductors to be connected respectively with said terminal bolts and with suitable terminals 59 of said coils.

The foregoing structure is preferably en" closed within a suitable housing comprising a cylindrical shell 60 having one end closed and the other end open and adapted to close ly engage the circular base 13 of the support and the closed end of said housing being adapted to abut the extreme forwardly extending end of the projection 17 of the support, being releasably secured thereto by means of a suitable bolt 61 tapped within the latter.

The angular relation of the contacting element to the armature member is preferably such that movement of the unit to its extreme position in response to the bias of the weight 52 serves to interrupt the circuit through the contacting element whereas the electro-magnetic coils are so connected in circuit that the resultant torque opposes and preponderates the bias of the weight for holding the unit in a position to maintain circuit through the contacting element.

Upon failure of current in any phase of the supply circuit, the effective torque of the device tending to maintain the circuit closed becomes zero, whereupon the oscillable unit automatically moves to its open circuit position under the bias of the weight 52*. Also upon a pre-determined general reduction of the line voltage, such effective torque becomes so far reduced as to be insuflicient to overcome the torque due to said weight whereupon also the unit moves to its open circuit position. Further, should the phase relation of the supply circuit become reversed from any cause either accidental or voluntary, the-direction of the torque of the device will also be reversed for positively moving the unit to its open circuit position. Thus should it be desired to render the device responsive only under conditions of phase reversal, the weight 52 may be omitted.

Upon restoration of normal conditions of the supply circuit, following existence of any of theaforedescribed abnormal conditions thereof, the device is adapted to automatically re-establish circuit through the contacting element and to maintain such circu1t during continuance of normal cond1-- tions.

l/Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a pair of electromagnets having air gaps to be traversed by magnetically independent fluxes of unlike phase and a continuously looped armature having parts to be subjected to direct in fluence of such fluxes for effecting a torque upon said armature.

2. In combination, a pair of electro- .magnets having air gaps to be traversed by magnetically separate and substantially homogeneous fluxes of unlike phase and a continuously looped armature having parts to be subjected to direct influence of such fluxes for effecting a torque upon said armature.

3. In combination, a pair of electromagnets having air gaps to be traversed by magnetically independent and substantially homogeneous fluxes of unlike phase and a continuously looped armature having parts to be subjected to direct influence of such fluxes for effecting a "torque upon said armature. 4

4. In combination, a pair of electromagnets having air gaps to be traversed by magnetically independent fluxes of unlike phase and a co-operating armature having parts to be subjected to direct influence of such fluxes, said parts being interlinked to provide for passage therethrough of cur-' rents induced of such fluxes, the current induced by the flux of one air gap being I adapted to re-act with the flux of the other air gap for exerting a torque upon said armature.

5. In combination, a pair of electromagnets having air gaps to be traversed by magnetically separate and substantially homogeneous fluxes of unlike phase and a co-operating armature having parts to be subjected to direct influence of such fluxes, said parts being interlinked to provide-for passage therethrough of currents induced by such fluxes, the current induced by the flux of one air gap being adapted to react with the flux of the other air gap for correlated points of the other part to provide a definite continuous path for the currents induced by said fluxes.

7 In combination, a pair of electro magnets having air gaps to be traversed by magnetically independent fluxes of unlike phase, and a co-operating armature comprising a plurality of spaced conductors located side by side within the respective air gaps for subjection to direct influence of the fluxes therein, andconnectors for the conductors of the individual air gaps providing for inter-communication of currents induced by said fluxes for effecting coaction between the fluxes of either air gap and the-currents induced by the fluxes of the other air gap.

8. In combination, a pair of electromagnets having air gaps to be traversed by magnetically separate and substantially homogeneous fluxes of unlike phase, and aco-operating armature comprising a plurality of spaced conductors located side by side within the respective air gaps for subjection to direct influence of the fluxes therein, and connectors for the conductors of the in dividual air gaps providing for. inter communication of currents induced by said fluxes for effecting coaction between the fluxes of either air gap and the currents induced by the fluxes of the other air gap.

9. The combination with a pair of symmetrically arranged and spaced electromagnet frames having relatively restricted and aligned air gaps and energizing windings for efl'ecting magnetically independent fluxes of unlike phase across said air gaps, of a pivoted armature having spaced parallel conductive elements adapted to oscillate Within the respective air gaps, the. lateral extent of said air gaps and the number of said elements being proportioned to provide substantially a uniform number of said elements within either air gap for all operative positions of said armature. said elements being interlinked to provide a continuous looped path for the currents induced by said fluxes.

10. The combination with a pair of symmetrically arranged and spaced electromagnet frames havingrelatively restricted and aligned air gaps and energizing windings for eflecting substantially homogeneous fluxes of unlike phase across said air gaps, of a pivoted armature having spaced parallel conductive elements adapted to oscillate within the respective air gaps, the

lateral extent of said air gaps and the number of said elements being proportioned to provide substantially a uniform number of said elements within either air gap for all operative positions of said armature, said elements being interlinked to provide for induction of currents in the armature by said fluxes, and for coaction of the fluxes of one ing oscillable armature connected to said I contacting device for moving the latter, said armature having elements located within the respective air gaps and conductive portions connecting said elements in a closed loop to provide a definite continuous path for the currents induced in said armature.

12. In. an alternating current circuit controller, the combination with a pair of electro-magnets having air gaps to be traversed 'bv fluxes of unlike phase and having independent magnetic circuits, of a co-operating armature comprising elements to be located within the respective air gapsfor subjection to direct influence of the fluxes therein and means for connecting portions of said elenents which are of maximum induced potential difl'erence in a definite and continuous conductive loop for causing the currents induced by one electro-magnet to react with the flux of the other electro-magnet for moving and holding said armature, and a contacting device to be actuated by said armature.

13. In a controller for alternating current circuits, the combination with a contacting device of operating means therefor, comprising a pair of electro-magnets having air gaps to be traversed by fluxes of unlike phase and of definite substantially dis tinct space relation, and an armature member connected to said contacting device for moving the latter, said armature comprising interlinked elements subjected to direct influence of said fluxes for effecting direct coaction of fluxes of one air gap with currents induced by the fluxes of the other air gap for developing a torque upon .said armature under predetermined conditions.

14. In an electrical controller, the combination with a contacting device, of operating means therefor, comprising electromagnets to be energized respectively by different phases of a polyphase circuit and having air gaps to be traversed individually by magnetically separate fluxes induced by such energization of the respective electromagnets and means comprising an armature having elements subjected to influence of said fluxes for directly controlling said contacting device in accordance with the phase relation and voltage of said circuit.

15. The combination with a support having spaced flanges, of electromagnets having individual air gaps and means for securing said electromagnets to said flanges in a relation providing for alignment of said air gaps, a contacting device carried by said support for movement relative thereto and an armature member secured to and carried by said contacting device and having aligned parts located within said air gaps.

16. The combinationwith a support having spaced flanges, of electromagnets having individual air gaps and means for securing said electromagnets to said flanges in a relation providing for alignment of said air gaps, an oscillatory contacting device carried by said support with its axis of oscillation parallel to the direction of major extent of said electromagnets and an armature member secured to a terminally located portion of said contacting device, said armature member having parts subjected t influence of the fluxes across said air gaps for effecting oscillation of said contacting device.

17. The combination with a support having a projecting boss and spaced flanges and a lateral arm carried by said boss, of electromagnets having individual air gaps andmeans for securing said electromagnets to said flanges with said air gaps in alignment with one another, said arm having a projecting portion arranged parallel to an opposing portion of said boss, pivot bearings carried 'by said parallel arranged elements, a contacting device carried by said bearings and an armature member secured to said contacting device and having aligned parts arranged within said air gaps.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ERWIN R. STOEKLE. 

